Karsten
Boy name · #4167 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Karsten? In official American birth records, Karsten has been tracked continuously since 1950, giving it 75 years of documented American history.
Karsten ranks #4167 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 25 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2036, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 72,000 boys born in 2025 was named Karsten.
Babies named Karsten per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 75-year story
Karsten first appears in the Social Security records in 1950, when 6 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2010, when 135 boys were named Karsten — good for #1284 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Karsten against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Karsten in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Karsten is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Karsten will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Karsten is most common
State-level data for Karsten is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Karsten
Statistically, parents drawn to Karsten tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ashten, Quinten, Kamren, Jorden, and Kaylen.
AshtenQuintenKamrenJordenKaylenKiernanKavinKollin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Karsten | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | #4139 |
| 2024 | 28 | #3896 |
| 2023 | 27 | #4002 |
| 2022 | 24 | #4303 |
| 2021 | 42 | #2918 |
| 2020 | 27 | #3811 |
| 2019 | 73 | #2001 |
| 2018 | 61 | #2230 |
| 2017 | 62 | #2170 |
| 2016 | 77 | #1903 |
| 2015 | 70 | #2036 |
| 2014 | 87 | #1730 |
| 2013 | 100 | #1563 |
| 2012 | 109 | #1478 |
| 2011 | 113 | #1448 |
| 2010 | 135 | #1284 |
| 2009 | 104 | #1562 |
| 2008 | 108 | #1504 |
| 2007 | 125 | #1341 |
| 2006 | 131 | #1273 |
| 2005 | 115 | #1315 |
| 2004 | 115 | #1292 |
| 2003 | 97 | #1381 |
| 2002 | 84 | #1498 |
| 2001 | 107 | #1242 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Karsten?
In official American birth records, the name Karsten first appeared in 1950 (over 75 years ago), when 6 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 75 years.
Is Karsten a popular boy name?
Karsten ranked #4167 among boys in 2025 with 25 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2036.
When was the name Karsten most popular?
Karsten peaked in 2010, when 135 American boys received the name (ranked #1284 that year). Since 2010 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Karsten?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 72,000 newborn American boys was named Karsten. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.